Frequently Asked Questions

Honors Education at Rutgers New Brunswick

There are several paths to Honors education at Rutgers-New Brunswick. This chart answers some of the questions asked by admitted students regarding the similarities and differences between the School of Arts and Sciences Honors Program and the Honors College – New Brunswick.

Honors at Rutgers-New Brunswick

School of Arts and Sciences Honors Program

Honors College

Overview

The School of Arts and Sciences Honors Program is a community of honors students from the School of Arts and Sciences and the Rutgers Business School Undergraduate - New Brunswick. The heart of the program lies within its determination to foster a strong sense of community and leadership among its students by offering a variety of special opportunities, including rigorous interdisciplinary Honors Seminars, discipline-based Honors Courses, personalized advising, a Faculty Mentor Program, Peer Mentoring, Honors housing on each campus, and a wide range of cultural, social, and co-curricular activities. The program accepts 400 new students each year, including first-years, transfers, and SAS rising sophomores.

The Honors College is a living-learning community of honors students from across the liberal arts and professional schools at Rutgers-New Brunswick, including the School of Arts and Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, School of Engineering, Rutgers Business School, Mason Gross School of the Arts, and Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy. The focus of the interdisciplinary curriculum is on social innovation. The academic dean and faculty fellows live alongside the 500 first-year students at the Honors College.

Yes. All Honors College students who are enrolled in the School of Arts & Sciences or the Rutgers School of Business must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language.

How competitive is admission?

Admission is highly competitive.

Admission is highly competitive.

Will students admitted to the Rutgers Business School (RBS) be invited to join an Honors community?

High-achieving RBS-NB students are considered for admission to the SASHP. Because admission to the SASHP as a RBS-NB student is so highly competitive, some students who are admitted to SAS as Honors students may find that they are not invited to join the SASHP as RBS-NB students.

High-achieving students who have been admitted to the Rutgers Business School-New Brunswick are considered for admission to the Honors College.

What are the benefits of being in Honors?

Individualized advising

An innovative curriculum

Small classes

Faculty and peer mentors

A close-knit community

Leadership and service opportunities

Special honors study abroad opportunities

Dedicated Honors Housing

A community drawn from the School of Arts and Sciences and Rutgers Business School- New Brunswick.

Individualized advising onsite

An interdisciplinary curriculum focused on social innovation

A living-learning community of first-year Honors College students drawn from across the liberal arts and professional schools at Rutgers-New Brunswick, including School of Arts and Sciences, School of Engineering, Rutgers Business School, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, and Mason Gross School of the Arts.

Students continue in their second years and beyond as members of the Honors College with honors housing across the Rutgers-New Brunswick campuses.

Small classes

Live-in faculty and peer mentors

A close-knit community

Leadership and service opportunities

Special honors study abroad opportunities

Do I have to apply for admission?

Admission to the School of Arts and Sciences Honors Program is competitive and is based on a variety of factors, including high school academic record, test scores, and extracurricular activities. High-achieving students with the potential to excel in the School of Arts and Sciences Honors Program will be offered Direct Admission. No separate application is required for Direct Admission.

Students are admitted to the Honors College only by direct invitation; there is no application process.

Are sophomores invited to join Honors?

Students who complete the first year at Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences with a 3.700 or better cumulative GPA are invited to apply for admission.

No.

Are transfer students invited to join Honors?

Yes, high achieving transfer students can apply. A small number are admitted each year. Click here for more information.

No.

Is there merit scholarship aid connected to participating in Honors?

Not necessarily. An offer of admission to the SASHP does not guarantee a scholarship offer.

Yes. All students who are invited to the Honors College are offered a merit-based award. Amounts may vary.

How do I accept my honors invitation?

To enroll you must accept the offer of admission to the school your honors invitation came from-- The School of Arts and Sciences, or The Rutgers Business School- New Brunswick at admissions.rutgers.edu/status by May 1.

To enroll, you must accept the offer of admission to the school your honors invitation came from-- The School of Arts and Sciences, or The Rutgers Business School- New Brunswick, or Mason Gross School of Arts, or The School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, or The School of Engineering, or The School of Pharmacy at admissions.rutgers.edu/status by May 1.

Where do first year students live?

SASHP students can live in SAS Honors residence halls on the Busch, Livingston, Douglass, and College Avenue campuses. SASHP students are not required to live in an honors residence hall, and SASHP students are permitted to live in non-honors housing, or to commute.

All Honors College students are required to live in the Honors College in their first year.

Is there Honors housing beyond the first year?

Yes, on all four campuses.

Yes, on all four campuses.

History

Founded in Fall 2007, built on the foundation of Honors Programs at Rutgers College, Livingston College, Douglass College, and University College.

Founded in Fall 2015. The Class of 2019 will be the first class of Honors College students to graduate.

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